Unit 7: Paul the Apostle NT7.15 Paul before Rulers...When Festus took over as Governor from Felix, the Jewish authorities asked for Paul to be put on trial in Jerusalem. They were

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NT7.15 Paul Before Rulers © Beverly Wilson 2018

Unit 7: Paul the Apostle

NT7.15 Paul before Rulers

Scripture: Acts 24-26

Lesson Goal: Paul was an Apostle chosen by God to take the gospel to the world. He was the first missionary and the greatest preacher of all time! In this lesson we will see how Paul boldly proclaimed the gospel to the Roman governors Felix and Agrippa.

Introduction: This is the fifteenth lesson in Unit 7: Paul the Apostle. Paul was an Apostle chosen by God to take the gospel to the world. He was the first missionary and the greatest preacher of all time. In this lesson we will see how Paul boldly proclaimed the gospel to the Roman governors Felix and Agrippa. This lesson comes from the book of Acts. Acts is the fifth book in the New Testament. This book was written by Luke. The first four books of the New Testament, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John tell about the life of Christ. The fifth book Acts tells about the beginning of the church and the life of Paul the Apostle. Let's say the first five books of the New Testament together: Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Acts.

Attention Getter: “Defend”

What does the word “defend” mean? Defend can mean that we resist an attack or protect someone from harm. For an example Ancient China built a Great Wall to defend or protect its borders from invaders. Defend can also mean that we seek to justify or argue for a person or a cause. For example when we stand up for our country we are defending our freedoms. In this lesson we are going to learn how the Apostle Paul boldly defended the gospel to the Roman governors Felix and Agrippa. He told them his personal testimony and shared with them the promises of God about salvation.

Opening Prayer: “Dear Father in heaven, we thank you for this lesson about Paul’s bold testimony of faith in You as he stood before the Roman rulers. Help us to tell others about God’s salvation like Paul did. He trusted in you to give him courage to face the opposition of the Jewish leaders. Thank you for giving to us the gift of salvation. Give us the great desire to see others come to you in Christ. Thank you for promising to always be with us. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.”

Memory Verse: Our memory verse is 1 Corinthians 15: 3-4 “For what I received I pass on to you as of first importance that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.”

Lesson Video: https://youtu.be/-6qBx5GBaKE

Paul was an Apostle chosen by God to take the gospel to the world. Jesus had appeared to him on the Road to Damascus and revealed that He was really the Son of God. Paul believed in Jesus that day and he was a changed man. God called Paul to be the Apostle who would bring the gospel to the Gentiles and to suffer much for His name. He became the first missionary and the greatest preacher of all time.

Paul made three Missionary Journeys to Greece and Syria. Despite much opposition they preached the gospel and several new churches were established in Asia Minor and Macedonia. The gospel spread throughout the region and many Gentiles believed in Jesus as their Savior.

https://youtu.be/-6qBx5GBaKE

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It was not easy to start churches. Some Jews who were jealous and did not believe in Jesus would stir up riots and try to stop them. Paul and his traveling companions were thrown into prison and run out of towns but they kept on preaching about Jesus.

During this time Paul wrote several letters to the churches he had started. These letters which gave instruction in how to live the Christian life would later become part of our New Testament. They were Galatians, Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, and 1 and 2 Thessalonians.

At the close of his Third Missionary Journey Paul told the churches that the Holy Spirit was leading him to return to Jerusalem. Paul realized that the trip was dangerous and he would not be returning to see them again.

All along the way Paul had been warned by the Holy Spirit that he would face much persecution in Jerusalem. The believers pleaded with Paul not to go to Jerusalem. But when they saw Paul’s determination to follow God’s Spirit they cried and prayed as they hugged Paul goodbye. Traveling by ship Paul and his companions arrived in Caesarea just a few miles from Jerusalem. Paul did not know what lie ahead but he knew that God was in control and that He had a plan for his life.

At Caesarea Paul stayed at the home of Philip the Evangelist. While Paul was staying at Philip’s house, a prophet named Agabus arrived from Judea. He took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands with it. He then said, “The Holy Spirit declares that the owner of this belt will be bound by the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem and turned over to the Gentiles.”

Just as Agabus had prophesied when Paul and his traveling companions arrived in Jerusalem they were recognized by the Jewish leaders. These men falsely accused Paul of teaching Jews who live among the Gentiles to ignore the Jewish customs. They were very angry and wanted to discredit him.

They started a mob riot that spread throughout the whole city. Paul was grabbed and dragged out of the Temple. As they were trying to kill him, word reached the commander of the Roman regiment that Jerusalem was in an uproar. He immediately called out his soldiers and officers and ran down among the crowd.

When the mob saw the commander and the troops coming, they stopped beating Paul. The commander arrested Paul, had him bound with two chains and ordered that he be taken to the fortress. The crowd followed behind, shouting, “Kill him, kill him!”

As Paul was about to be taken inside the barracks, he asked the commander if he could speak to the crowd. The commander gave permission for him to speak. Paul explained to the angry crowd that he was once a Pharisee like them and had zealously killed Christians.

Then Paul told them about how Jesus had appeared to him on the road to Damascus and how he had called on the name of the Lord to forgive his sins and had been baptized. But when Paul went on to say that God had sent him to bring the good news of Jesus to the Gentiles there was uproar. The enemies of Paul did not want the Gentiles to go to heaven. They wanted the Gentiles to obey the Jewish Law. Then they began to shout, "Get rid of this man from the earth! He is not fit to live!"

The commander brought Paul inside and ordered him to be lashed with whips to make him confess his crime. But when the officer learned that Paul was a Roman citizen he was untied immediately. The next day the commander ordered the leading priests into session with the Jewish high council. He wanted to find out what the trouble was all about, and brought Paul before them. But this meeting only ended with a huge uproar and the commander had to rescue Paul by force. Paul was taken back to a cell in the fortress.

That night the Lord appeared to Paul and said, “Be encouraged, Paul. Just as you have been a witness to me here in Jerusalem, you must preach the Good News in Rome as well.”

The next morning a group of forty Jewish men got together and made an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. But Paul's little nephew overheard the plot and reported it to Paul. Paul called to one of the centurions that was guarding him, and told him, "Take this young man to the commander, he has something important to tell him."

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After hearing about the plot, the commander ordered for Paul to be taken by 200 soldiers and 70 mounted troops to Caesarea during the night. In a letter he asked Governor Felix to judge the case and hold Paul until his accusers could arrive. He asked Felix to keep Paul safe until he could be taken to Rome for a trial.

Five days after Paul was escorted to Caesarea, Ananias the high priest arrived with some of the Jewish elders and the lawyer Tertullus, to present their case. Tertullus presented the charges against Paul. He began by making flattering remarks about Governor Felix. Then he went on to claim, “Paul is a troublemaker who is constantly stirring up riots among the Jews everywhere. He is a ringleader of the cult known as the Nazarene. He was trying to desecrate the Temple when we arrested him.” The other Jews agreed with everything Tertullus said.

The governor then motioned for Paul to speak. Paul said, “I arrived in Jerusalem no more than twelve days ago but my accusers never found me arguing with anyone, anywhere. They cannot prove the charges they are now making against me. I admit that I worship the God of our Father as a follower of “The Way” which they call a cult. I believe in the Old Testament Law and the Prophets just as they do. After an absence of several years, I came to Jerusalem to bring my people gifts for the poor and to present offerings. My accusers saw me in the Temple as I was completing a purification ceremony. There was no crowd around me and no rioting. I am on trial before you today because I believe in the resurrection of the dead!”

At that point Felix, who was familiar with “The Way”, adjourned the hearing. The governor knew the reputation of the Christians for living peacefully and not starting riots. So Felix said, “Wait until Lysias, the garrison commander, arrives. Then I will decide the case.” Paul was kept in custody but given freedom to allow his friends to visit him.

A few days later Felix and his wife Drusilla, who was Jewish, sent for Paul. They listened as he told them about his faith in Christ Jesus. As Paul spoke about righteousness and self-control and the coming Day of Judgment, Felix became frightened. He was convicted of his own sins. “Go away for now,” he replied. “When it is more convenient, I’ll call for you again.”

Felix hoped that Paul would bribe him to get released so he talked with him quite often. Felix, who also wanted to be popular with Paul’s accusers, kept him in prison for the next two years. Felix then lost his job as governor and was called back to Rome. He was replaced by Porcius Festus.

When Festus took over as Governor from Felix, the Jewish authorities asked for Paul to be put on trial in Jerusalem. They were hoping to ambush and kill Paul on the way. Festus instead agreed to a fresh trial in Caesarea.

Once again Paul denied the charges saying, “I am not guilty of any crime against the Jewish laws or the Temple or the Roman government.” Then Festus, wanting to please the Jews, asked him, “Are you willing to go to Jerusalem and stand trial before me there?”

“No!” Paul replied. “This is the official Roman court, so I ought to be tried here. You know I am not guilty. If I have done something worthy of death, I should die. But if I am innocent, no one has a right to turn me over to these men to kill me. I appeal to Caesar!”

Festus conferred with his advisors and then replied, “Very well! You have appealed to Caesar, and to Caesar you will go!”

A few days later King Agrippa arrived with his sister, Bernice, to pay their respects to Festus. They discussed Paul’s case together. “I’d like to hear the man myself,” Agrippa said. Festus replied, “You will tomorrow!”

The next day Agrippa and Bernice arrived at the auditorium, accompanied by military officers and prominent men of the city. Paul was brought in. Festus announced, “This is the man whose death is demanded by all the Jews, but in my opinion he has done nothing deserving death. However, since he appealed his case to the emperor I have decided to send him to Rome. But what charge shall I make against him?”

Paul stood up and told them how he had encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus and had become a Christian. He told them that God had called him to preach the gospel to both the Jews and the Gentiles.

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He said that the only reason he was on trial was that he preached that the Jews should repent of their sins and turn to God so they could receive forgiveness. Jesus had died on the cross and had risen from the dead! He said that they should believe in Christ Jesus as the Promised Messiah.

Suddenly Festus shouted, “Paul, you are insane. Too much study has made you crazy!”

Paul replied, “I am not insane, Most Excellent Festus. What I am saying is the truth. King Agrippa knows about these things. King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do.”

Agrippa interrupted him. “Do you think you can persuade me to become a Christian so quickly?”

Paul replied, “Whether quickly or not, I pray to God that both you and everyone here in this audience might become the same as I am, except for these chains.”

Then the king, the governor, Bernice, and all the others stood and left. As they went out, they agreed. “This man hasn’t done anything to deserve death or imprisonment.” Agrippa said to Festus, “He could have been set free if he hadn’t appealed to Caesar.”

Agrippa and Bernice thought that Paul was making a mistake to appeal to Caesar but Paul did not look at it this way. God had told him that he would preach the gospel in Rome and he saw this appeal as a way to give him this opportunity! To go to Rome as a prisoner was better than not to go there at all.

In this lesson we see that Paul was risking his own life to preach the gospel. Just as Jesus was rejected by the Jewish leaders, Paul was also receiving the same treatment by the Roman governors. Because Jesus has the power to save people from sin, Paul was willing to do whatever it took to share the gospel with everyone.

When we follow Christ and obey His commands, we too may be thought to be crazy but that should not let this response stop us! People may make fun of us like they did for Paul but in the end God will reward our faithfulness. It will be worth whatever we may suffer. Jesus loves us and will strengthen us during these times of trial.

When Paul was defending his case before the Roman governors he appealed to them with the facts. He used the examples of people who were still alive who had heard Jesus and seen his miracle. They had seen the empty tomb and the fact that the message of salvation was turning their world upside down. These facts were an important part of Paul’s testimony.

The history of Jesus’ life and the early church are facts that are still available for us today. We have the eyewitness accounts of Jesus’ life recorded in the Bible. We can read about the events in the early church and how the early church leaders preached about Jesus. When we share the gospel with others we need to strengthen our testimony by using scripture.

In his preaching Paul emphasized that Jesus was Christ the Son of God, that He died on the cross for the payment of our sins, and that He rose again on the third day to prove that He had overcome death. God loves everyone and desires that they be saved.

As a result of His sacrifice we are to repent of our sins and believe in Him as our Savior. We are to live a life that shows our repentance through our deeds. We are to share the good news of salvation with everyone.

Paul’s response to King Agrippa and Felix is a good example of how we should tell others about God’s plan of salvation. Just like Paul we should share our personal testimony of how we came to know Christ as our Savior.

Then we should use scripture to show God’s promise of salvation to those who place their faith in Him. Only then will others know our concern for them and the proof of God’s gift of eternal life.

Remember use every opportunity to tell others about Jesus!

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Review Questions: “Jail” Preparation: Number index cards from 1-4 with one numeral written in large print on each card. Repeat the numbers until you have enough cards for all the members of your class. For added interest build a jail door out of strips of duct tape. Say: “In this lesson we learned that Paul was in jail as he awaited his trials before the Roman rulers. Today we are going to pretend that we are in jail. In order to move toward the goal of release from prison we must correctly answer the review questions.” Procedure: Give students a card with a number on one side. Tell the students that those with the same number 1 are on one team, those with number 2 are on a second team, those with number 3 on a third team and number 4 are the last team. Have students line up on one side of the room and explain that they are all in “jail.” The leader reads a question and directs it to those students who are on the number 1 team. If one person on the team answers the question correctly then the whole team may take one step forward toward “freedom.” Repeat with another review question for team 2. Continue asking review questions and rotating the team who gets to answer the question. The winner of the activity is the team who moves closer to “freedom.”

1. What special mission did God give to the Apostle Paul? (God chose him to be the first missionary to the world and to be the one who would bring the gospel to the Gentiles and to suffer much for His name.)

2. How did Paul share the gospel with the Gentiles? (Paul made three Missionary Journeys to Greece and Syria. Despite much opposition they preached the gospel and several new churches were established in Asia Minor and Macedonia.)

3. What did Paul do to help the new churches that he had established in Greece and Syria? (During this time Paul wrote several letters to the churches he had started. These letters which gave instruction in how to live the Christian life would later become part of our New Testament.)

4. What books in the New Testament were letters that Paul wrote to churches he had established on his missionary journeys? (The letters Paul wrote to churches were Galatians, Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, and 1 and 2 Thessalonians.)

5. What warning did the Holy Spirit tell Paul about going to Jerusalem through the prophet Agabus? (Agagus took Paul’s belt, and tied his own feet and hands with it. He then said, “The Holy Spirit declares that the owner of this belt will be bound by the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem and turned over to the Gentiles.”)

6. What happened when some Jews from Asia saw Paul in Jerusalem? (They started a mob riot that spread throughout the whole city.)

7. Who kept Paul from being beaten and killed by this mob? (The Roman commander arrived and broke up the mob riot and arrested Paul.)

8. When the commander started to whip Paul what did Paul tell the guard? (He said that he was a Roman citizen and how could they beat a Roman citizen without a trial.)

9. How did the Lord encourage Paul while he was in prison in Jerusalem? (That night the Lord appeared to Paul and said, “Be encouraged, Paul. Just as you have been a witness to me here in Jerusalem, you must preach the Good News in Rome as well.”)

10. What plot did 40 Jewish men make against Paul? (A group of Jews got together and made an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul.)

11. Who heard the men plotting? (Paul’s nephew heard about the plot and bravely went into the prison and told Paul. Paul told the guard that his nephew had some important news to tell the commander.)

12. What did the commander do when he heard that Paul’s life was in danger? (After hearing about the plot, the commander called two of his officers and ordered, “Get 200 soldiers ready to leave for Caesarea at nine o’clock tonight. Also take 200 spearmen and 70 mounted troops. Provide horses for Paul to ride and get him safely to Governor Felix.”)

13. Why was moving Paul to Caesarea important for his safety? (The Jewish leaders could not get to Paul easily and kill him.)

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14. When Governor Felix held a trial for Paul what charges did Ananais the high priest make against Paul? (He said, “Paul is a troublemaker who is constantly stirring up riots among the Jews everywhere. He is a ringleader of the cult known as the Nazarene. He was trying to desecrate the Temple when we arrested him.”)

15. Why did Felix not believe Ananais the high priest and his charges? (Felix knew that the Christians or those of “the Way” were known for leading quiet lives and they did not stir up riots.)

16. Later when Felix brought Paul before him and his Jewish wife Drusilla, what did he say? (As Paul spoke about righteousness and self-control and the coming Day of Judgment, Felix became frightened. He was convicted of his own sins. “Go away for now,” he replied. “When it is more convenient, I’ll call for you again.”)

17. Why did Governor Felix hold Paul in prison even though he thought he did not deserve it? (Felix thought that Paul would bribe him to get released and he wanted to be popular with Paul’s accusers so he kept him in prison for the next two years.)

18. When Governor Felix was replaced by Festus, what he do to try to deal with Paul? (He held another trial and called the Jewish leaders to come to Caesarea. Paul refused to go to Jerusalem and used his right as a Roman citizen to appeal to Caesar for a trial.)

19. What problem did Felix have in sending Paul to Rome? (He needed to have a charge against him and he believed that Paul had not done anything worthy of imprisonment,)

20. Who did Felix ask to help him with Paul’s case? (Felix ask King Agrippa and his sister Bernice to hear the case.)

21. When Paul defended his case before King Agrippa and Bernice what did he do? (Once again Paul told them about his conversion and his belief in Jesus as the Son of God. He tried to convince them to become Christians! He was a bold witness for salvation.)

22. What ways did Paul use to witness to the Roman rulers? (Paul gave his personal testimony and then appealed to them by using the facts that were well known about who Jesus is and his death and resurrection from the dead.)

23. What lessons can we learn from Paul about the method we should use in telling others about Christ? (We should use our own personal testimony of how we came to faith in Christ and then share with people the scriptures of God’s promise of salvation to establish the facts. We should use every opportunity we have to witness to others.)

24. What is the memory verse? (The memory verse is 1 Corinthians 15: 3-4 “For what I received I

pass on to you as of first importance that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.”)

Bible Memory Verse Activity: “Gospel Shuffle” The memory verse is 1 Corinthians 15: 3-4 “For what I received I pass on to you as of first importance that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” Have students locate the verse in scripture and read it orally together several times.

Say: “In these verses Paul was emphasizing that Christ’s resurrection from the dead was a fact! That fact is evidence that we can receive the gift of eternal life!” Preparation: Create two identical sets of sturdy index cards with each of the words or phrases of the Bible Memory verse printed on each separate card. Procedure: Have children recite the memory verse together. Divide the students into two teams. Shuffle each set of cards. Deal the first set of cards to the children on one team and the second set of cards to the children on the other team. Give each child approximately the same number of cards. The two teams race to put their cards into the correct order of the Bible Memory Verse. They may use the Bible or the Bible Memory Verse poster as a reference. The first team to place all of the cards in the correct order is the winning team.

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Group Learning Activity: “Paul’s Trial Drama” (Grades K-5) Preparation: Print the script for the drama below one for each of four male actors. Set up the classroom as a courtroom. Practice the drama prior to the classroom presentation. You can use a Bible times costume for Paul and a crown for King Agrippa to add to the drama’s effectiveness. Print the “Jury Notes” one for each student. You will need to provide pencils or pens for the activity notes. Say: “Let’s pretend we are in a courtroom. Today we are going to watch the trial of Paul. Watch the drama and decide if Paul is guilty or innocent. Procedure: Dramatize the Bible story.

Conclusion: Pint a copy of the Jury Notes for each student below. Have them complete the sheet based on the information they can recall from the drama. Say: “Let’s review the facts presented by Paul at his trial. We will take turns reading aloud the facts and determine if the fact is true or false. Then we will match the clues with the timeline category. Finally you are to vote whether Paul was guilty or innocent to telling people about Jesus.”

Group Learning Activity: “Personal Testimony” (Grades K-5) Purpose: To encourage children to share their faith by using their personal testimony about Jesus Preparation: Invite a guest who has is a Christian to share their personal testimony with the group. Be sure to emphasize to the guest speaker the importance of sharing Who Jesus Is and a scripture that helped them come to Christ. Say: “Have you ever heard someone say, “God did that for me? What does the person mean? We have a special guest today who will tell us some things God is doing in his/her life. Let’s listen to his/her testimony.” Procedure: Invite the guest to share his/her testimony. Review the scripture verse that was important to them. Say: “Thank you for telling us what God is doing in your life. Each of us can tell people what God is doing for them.” Review the memory verse: 1 Corinthians 15: 3-4 “For what I received I pass on to you as of first importance that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” Be sure to emphasize that we are to tell about Christ’s death for our sins and His resurrection from the dead. Use other scriptures from the ABC’s to review the plan of salvation.

Group Learning Activity: “Take Your Medicine” Object Lesson (Grades 3-5) Preparation: Prepare a tray with a few cotton swabs and cotton balls, scissors, a big needle threaded with black thread (signifying stitches), band-aids, tongue depressors, a syringe (a toy one), etc. Say: “Look at the items on this tray. Can you think of five things that might really hurt, but do a lot of good?” Procedure: Lead a discussion of each item on the tray and tell the positive results of its use. Examples: The syringe gives shots with medicine or a vaccination. Medicine and vaccination shots are good because they keep us from getting sick or help us to get well. The needle and thread signifies that sometimes we need to have deep cuts

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stitched back together so they will heal properly. We need stitches after surgery in order to hold the skin tight so it can heal quickly. All of these items can hurt when they are used but in the end they do a lot of good in helping us to heal or stay well. Say: “There are many things in life that hurt, but they have good results. Sometimes God will allow discomfort and insecurity in our lives to work together His good in our lives. Sometimes God works to protect us in ways we don’t understand; we just have to trust Him. Say: “In this lesson the Jewish leaders were lying about Paul. They were trying to have Paul put to death for preaching the good news about Jesus. God protected Paul from certain death by keeping him safe in prison under the control of the governor, Felix. Sometimes God works to protect us in ways we don’t understand; we just have to trust Him.” Say: “While Paul was in prison, Felix sent for Paul several times and listened while Paul witnessed about Jesus. He was hoping that Paul would bribe him so that he would have a reason to let Paul go, but Paul was a man of integrity. Paul was more concerned with Felix’s soul than his own freedom. Paul was in prison doing the will of God. Paul was in prison for over two years. It probably seemed like a long time to be under house arrest, but Paul was using every opportunity to witness Jesus to those who would hear him.”

Conclude with prayer. Lead the children in a prayer of thanksgiving for God’s wonderful control of our circumstances even when we do not understand them. If there are any children who have not yet responded to the gospel, give them opportunity to do so

Group Learning Game Activity: “Order in the Court” (Grades K-3) Preparation: Guide the children to arrange their chairs in a large circle formation. You will play a game similar to “Musical Chairs.” Say: “Have you ever watched a courtroom drama on television? Who are some of the people in the courtroom? (Judge, jury, defendant, defense lawyer, prosecutor, witnesses, and court recorder) What are some things you see happen in the courtroom? (Prosecutor states a case against the defendant. Defense lawyer states why case is incorrect or inadequate to convict. Judge decides what evidence can be entered and who can testify.) How does the judge get the people to be quiet? (Judge taps his gavel.) Let’s play a game called ‘Order in the Court’ to help us know what Paul faced in our lesson. “ Procedure: Each person will move around the courtroom. When the ‘judge’ shouts out ‘Order in the Court’ everyone must find a seat, including the judge. The last person to find a seat will be the new judge. Select a judge to begin the game. Remove the “judge’s chair.” Encourage the children to carefully walk around the inside of the circle. Direct the judge to shout “Order in the Court.” Continue as time permits. Say: “In our Bible story we learned how Paul was in a courtroom-type situation. He had to defend himself against the charges people brought. If you were part of the crowd listening to Paul’s defense, would you feel Paul was guilty or innocent? Why?” Review additional Bible story facts. Say: “Paul was not afraid to tell people what God had done for him. We should not be afraid to tell people what God has done for us.” Pray for the children to have courage to tell people about Jesus.

Optional: Make the game more challenging by having the children write their names on index cards and secure to the chairs in the room. Guide the children to return to their own chairs. The last child to reach his chair is the new judge.

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Group Learning Game Activity: “Felix, Festus, Agrippa, and Paul” (Grades K-2) Preparation: Play this fun variation of “Duck, Duck, Goose” by giving the person going around the circle a paper crown to represent the leaders before whom Paul testified and shared the gospel. Procedure: Play a game similar to “Duck, Duck, Goose. Have children squat in a circle. Place a Bible in the center of the circle. Have the child going around the outside of the circle say “Felix, Festus, Agrippa” over and over as they lightly touch the heads of the children who are seated in a circle. When they say “Paul” that person must grab the Bible you have placed in the center of the circle and then go to catch the person who called them “Paul” before they travel around the circle and sit down. .

Group Learning Activity: “Pray for the King” (Grades K-3) Purpose: Through this game, children will learn that Paul prayed for others to accept Jesus. We are to pray that others will receive Christ as Savior. Preparation: You will need a “jewel.” This can be a craft jewel, a photograph or picture, a toy, or a costume jewel. The jewel is to designate the person who is the king. Say: In Acts 26: 29 “

2 Paul replied, “Short time or long—I pray to God that not

only you but all who are listening to me today may become what I am, except for these chains.” In this lesson we learned that Paul prayed for the king and for everyone who was listening to him. He wanted them to become believers just as he was. We are going to play a game about Paul praying for the king.” Procedure: Children sit in a circle. Choose one child to be Paul. Paul leaves the room or hides his or her eyes. All children place their hands in front of them. Place the jewel in one child’s hand. That child is the king and closes his or her hands to hide the jewel. All other children close and hold their hands like the king to pretend they are also hiding the jewel. Paul returns to the room. Paul guesses which child is the king holding the jewel. To guess, Paul points to the child and says, “Oh King, I pray for you.” If the child is the king, Paul takes the king’s place and the king becomes the new Paul. If the child is not the king, he or she says, “Thank you, but I am not the king.” Paul must go outside and a new king is chosen for Paul to guess. If Paul does not guess correctly on the second try, choose another child to play Paul. The first Paul takes that child’s place in the circle. Play until all children have had a chance to be either Paul or the king. Say: “Paul understood the importance of praying for people to accept the message of salvation. When we witness we are to pray that the Holy Spirit will help people understand their need for a Savior and to convince them to believe in Jesus.” Teaching Tip: Older children playing Paul will soon discover they can watch the other children’s body language to more accurately guess the king. For younger children, give hints to help them find the king. Use clues such as “the king is wearing a red shirt” or “the king is sitting near the door.”

Group Learning Activity: “Paul’s Testimony” Preparation: Each student will need a pencil and Bible and their spiritual notebook. Say: “Have you ever had to testify about an accident you saw occur? How did having firsthand information about the event provide assistance in the case? In this activity we are going to study Paul's personal testimony before King Agrippa.” Procedure: Have students locate and read orally the following scriptures. Use the discussion questions to reinforce the major ideas.

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Read Acts 26:1-11. Why do you think Paul recapped his lifestyle before accepting Christ? What do you think Paul wanted the people to recall about his life? What do people know about your life before you became a Christian?

Read Acts 26:12-23. Notice the confidence Paul demonstrated as he shared his testimony. Paul’s confidence was a result of being filled with the Holy Spirit. How do you think the people listening to Paul responded as he spoke? (The Holy Spirit convicted them of sin and the truth of his message.) How do people respond when they hear your testimony? (People cannot believe today unless the Holy Spirit persuades or draws them to Christ.

Read Acts 26:24-32. What do you think happened to King Agrippa, Festus, and the people who heard Paul's testimony? (We are not told.) Do you think any of the people accepted Christ at some point in their lives? (Perhaps they did.) What untold impact does your testimony have on people? (We do not often know the full effect of our witness. Sometimes people rememberwhat we have said and respond much later.) Would you have the courage of Paul to speak as boldly as he did? (God has given all of us the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit works in our lives to convict others of sin, convince people of the truth of His Word, and comes into their lives to save them if they will believe.)

Encourage the students to reflect on the things that God has done in their lives. Say: “How willing are you to tell people about God's work? What keeps you from witnessing to your family, friends, or coworkers? Do these people even know you have a relationship with God?”

Have children record what they have learned in their spiritual journals. Encourage them to make a list of people with whom they can share the gospel. Pray together for these individuals. Personal Challenge: Think about the children in your ministry. In what ways can you communicate God's work in your life to children? How can you help children tell their friends and family members about God? Pray for opportunities to tell people what God has done for you. Take advantage of the opportunities as they arise.

Group Learning Activity: “ABC’s Booklet” (Grades 2-5) Preparation: Print the ABC’s Booklet template below on cardstock or heavy drawing paper. You will need one copy for each child, crayons or colored markers, and scissors. Say: “In this lesson we learned that Paul was the first missionary. God called him to preach the gospel to all the world—to the Jews and the Gentiles. Paul suffered much to spread the good news about Jesus. God loves everyone and wants them to receive the gift of eternal life. That is why He sent His Son Jesus to die on the cross for our sins. Just before Jesus went back into heaven He commanded His followers to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel.” Just like Paul we are to tell others about the good news of salvation. Today we are going to make an ABC Booklets to use to share the gospel with others.” Procedure: Have students cut out the booklet template on all dotted lines. Fold the template into a booklet by folding the half top down toward the bottom with text on the inside. Fold the side panels over the front of the booklet. (See picture of completed booklet at right.) Have students add colored marker diagrams such as the cross or heart or empty tomb to the outside and inside of the booklet. Decorate outside as desired. Demonstrate how to use the booklet: First, read the flap on the left side: Admit to God that you are a sinner. Repent turning away from your sin. Sin separates you from God. Sin is choosing your own way instead of God’s way. Second, read the center section: Believe that Jesus is God’s Son and accept God’s gift of forgiveness from sin. Romans 5:8 God sent Jesus so you would not have to die for your sins. Jesus died on a cross, He was buried, and He rose from the dead.

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Third, read the flap on the right side: Confess your faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. (Romans 10:9-10) Confessing means you “tell people you believe Jesus is Lord. Finally: read the prayer of confession on the bottom flap and ask if the person really means these things in their heart, then they can pray this prayer.

Dear God, I know I have sinned and that my sin separates me from You. I am sorry for my sin. I believe Jesus died on the cross for me so my sins could be forgiven. I believe Jesus rose from the dead and is alive. God, please forgive me. I ask Jesus to come into my life and be my Savior and Lord. I will obey You and live for You the rest of my life. Thank You, Amen.

Say: “Let’s pray and ask God to help us share the gospel with our friends.” In the prayer ask for boldness to share the gospel and opportunities with friends.

Craft Learning Activity: “Tell People about Jesus” Tri-Fold Books (Grades K-3) Preparation: You will need one page of white paper per student, glue sticks, scissors, crayons, small gift bag, and one printed page of “Telling about Jesus” per child. Template is below. Print an extra set of pictures, cut apart and place in gift bag. Add photographs or items to the gift bag that relate to ministries of your church. Say: “In this lesson we learned that Paul told the Roman rulers about Jesus. Some people do not know about Jesus. People at our church tell about Jesus. What are some ways that people at our church tell about Jesus?” Procedure: Have students take turns pulling a picture or item from the gift bag. Encourage the child to describe how the person in the picture is telling someone about Jesus. Distribute the white paper, scissors, glue sticks, crayons, and “Telling about Jesus” pages. Demonstrate how to tri-fold the paper. (Fold into thirds with one end overlapping the other. Fold the white paper pages down the center to make 6 even blocks on the page. Fold edges to meet in the center or have students cut apart the pictures and glue them to the sheet as desired. Say: “Glue the title across the front of your book. Cut apart and glue the pictures inside your book. Draw pictures telling about Jesus.” Review the Bible lesson. Lead students to say the memory verses: Have students show their books to one another and encourage them to use their books to tell their friends about Jesus.

Craft Learning Activity: “Jesus Banner” (Grades K-5) Preparation: You will need large construction paper sheets 9” X 15” for banner background in various colors for each student. Print the template of the word JESUS on white cardstock. You will need scissors, glue, and colored markers for each student. Say: “In this lesson we learned that Paul told the Roman rulers the important facts about Jesus and the gift of salvation. We are going to make a banner that illustrates these important events. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15: 3-4 “For what I received I pass on to you as of first importance that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,

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that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.”)” Procedure: Give each student a large sheet of construction paper to use as the banner background. Give each student a printed copy of the word Jesus. Have students cut out the letters of JESUS and glue them to the center of the banner paper. Have children draw symbols to represent the important facts to tell people about Jesus. Encourage them to include the following symbols: manger (Jesus is the Son of God); white dove (Jesus has the Spirit of God.); thunder cloud with lightning (Jesus had power over nature in stilling the storm.); heart (Jesus loves the world.); three rings (Jesus is one of persons of the Trinity.); candle (Jesus is the light of the world.); rainbow (Jesus is faithful to care for us.); cross (Jesus died on the cross for our sins.); empty tomb (Jesus rose from the dead.); cloud (Jesus ascended back to heaven.); open Bible (Jesus is the Word of God.) Encourage students to use the JESUS banner to practicing telling the gospel by using the important facts to share with others about who Jesus is and the gift of salvation. Craft Learning Activity: “Judge’s Gavel” (Grades 2-5) Preparation: You will need scissors, marker, ruler, toilet paper or paper towel tubes, ¾ inch wide dowel sticks, sandpaper, and heavy duty brown tape. Print the “facts” template below. Procedure: Cut paper tubes into 4 inch sections. You will need one paper tube per child. Cut the dowel sticks into 8 inch long pieces. You will need one dowel stick per child. Have the child sand the ends of the dowel stick. Mark an X in the center along the side of each paper tube. Say: “Have you ever watched a courtroom drama on television? What are some things the judge uses? How does the judge get everyone to pay attention? (He taps his gavel.) Let’s create our own gavels. We can use them to get the attention of people around us.” Procedure: Distribute the paper tubes and dowel sticks to the students along with tape and scissors. Guide the children to cut the marked opening. Demonstrate to the students how to place one end of the dowel through the opening. Tape the dowel rod into place. Cover the tube and the dowel stick with brown tape.” Say: “Paul was on trial for telling people about Jesus. If you were the judge overseeing Paul’s case, would you find him innocent or guilty? Why? Let’s examine the facts against Paul.” Place the true “facts” sheet on the table. Review the Bible story. Have a volunteer read aloud Luke 8:39a “Return home and tell how much God has done for you.” Say: “Paul was not afraid to tell people what God had done for him. We should not be afraid to tell people what God has done for us as well.” Conclude by praying for the students to have courage to tell people about Jesus.

Life Application Challenge: “Cross Your Heart” Preparation: You will need masking tape and a paper heart with a question mark on one side. Say: “This perfect heart shows God loves us. (Show the side of the paper heart without the question mark.) We are separated from God’s love by our wrongdoing or sin. (Tear the heart into two pieces.) God sent His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for us. His death paid for our sins, so we could be forgiven and close to God again. Use two pieces of tape intersecting to make a cross to put the two pieces of the heart back together. When we believe and follow Jesus, His Spirit stays with us in our hearts forever. (Hold heart close to your chest.)

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Say: “Would you like to ask Jesus into your heart, and be close to God forever? (Turn the heart over to show the question mark on back of heart.) If children say, “No,” reply: That’s ok. One day when you are ready, you can ask Him right then and there to come into your heart, and He will! If children say, “Yes,” reply: I will help you pray a special prayer to ask Jesus into your heart. Repeat these words after me: ABC Prayer: “Lord Jesus, I Admit that I’m a sinner. I Believe You are the Lord who died to take my sins away. Please Come into my heart and I’ll follow You forever. Amen.”

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Paul Before Rulers

1 Corinthians 15: 3-4 “For what I received I pass on to you as of first importance that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day

according to the Scriptures.”

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Paul Told the King Based on Acts 26

Judge: Everyone come to order. This case is "The People Versus Paul." Will all the people involved in this case come forward? King Agrippa: (speaking to Paul) You are allowed to speak at this time. Paul: It is a privilege to speak to and defend myself before you, King Agrippa. I know you are an expert in the Jewish customs, therefore, I ask you to patiently listen to me. The Jewish people know my way of life. I grew up in Jerusalem. I lived my life following the rules of the Pharisees, but now I am on trial for believing the promise made by God to our forefathers. I admit, with the authority of the chief priests, at one time, I arrested people who believed in Jesus. Even when people were being put to death, I agreed with the sentencing. In the synagogues, I often tried to make people say things against God by punishing them. There were times I became so angry at people that I followed them to other cities. Judge: These facts are true. Please continue. Paul: After gaining permission to locate and arrest some believers in Damascus, I set out on my travel. While on the road to Damascus, I saw a light brighter than the sun, shining from heaven. The light shone all around me and the people traveling with me. All of us fell to the ground. Then I heard a voice say, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?" I said, "Who are You, Lord?" The Lord said, "I am Jesus, the One you are persecuting." Then Jesus told me to stand up. Jesus said He had appointed me as a servant and witness of the things I had seen, and of things that would appear to me. He said He was sending me to tell people about God so they may receive forgiveness of sins and have faith in Him. Judge: What do you have to say about the charges before you today? Paul: King Agrippa, I am not guilty of the charges. I preached to people in Damascus first, then I preached in Jerusalem, and throughout all of Judea, and finally, I preached to the Gentile people. I told the people how they should turn away from their sins and turn to God. It is because of this that the Jewish people arrested me and are trying to kill me. My message to everyone has been the same. In fact, it is the same message that the prophets and Moses said would take place—the Messiah would suffer, He would rise from the dead, and He would proclaim salvation to all people. Festus: You are out of your mind, Paul! Too much studying is driving you crazy. Paul: I am not out of my mind. The opposite is true—I am speaking words of truth. King Agrippa actually knows what I am saying is true. It is to him that I am actually speaking. King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you believe. King Agrippa: Are you going to persuade me to become a Christian so easily? Paul: I wish not only you, but all who listen to me today will become as I am. Judge: It is time to decide if Paul is guilty. [Invite the children to indicate if they believe Paul is guilty or innocent.] After King Agrippa, Governor Festus, and some others talked, they concluded Paul did nothing that deserves death or chains.

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Jury Notes

Paul had a major change in his life. Read the clues below and draw a line to matche the clues with the correct category:

Paul’s Life Before Jesus How Paul Met Jesus Paul’s life after Jesus

I can tell peole what God has done for me.

Would you find Paul guilty or innocent of telling people about Jesus?

The Clues: Arrested people who believed in Jesus

Followed the customs of the Pharisees

Preached to people in Damascus

Preached to the Gentiles

Blinded by a light while traveling to Damascus

Jesus told him He was sending him to tell people about God.

Told people they can receive salvation

Had authority of the chief priest to arrest people

Heard a voice from heaven

Grew up in Jerusalem

Told peole how they can receive salvation

Wants everyone to become a Christian

Heard a voice from heaven

Verdict: ___ Guilty ___ Innocent

Sentence

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Documents

Unit 7: Paul the Apostle NT7.15 Paul before Rulers...When Festus took over as Governor from Felix, the Jewish authorities asked for Paul to be put on trial in Jerusalem. They were